History with EG: Versailles

On Friday, August 2 the Manship Olympics team headed to Versailles for the morning. To no one’s surprise, it was beautiful, but my favorite part was learning about the palace’s history. As a history minor at LSU, Versailles was easily one of my favorite parts of our trip. When you first walk up upon the huge palace, all you see is gold. Much of the exterior of the palace is covered in gold and yes, it’s real gold.

We started with our tour guide who took us through the beautiful rooms of the palace and gave us some background on each room. We learned who built this palace, why they built it, and some insight into what each room in the palace was used for. Finally, at the end of the tour, we explored the immense and stunning gardens of Versailles. It was the perfect morning filled with extravagant views, learning new things, and great friends.

            Versailles was originally built in 1623 by King Louis XVII as a small hunting lodge; however, Louis XIV is who made the palace into what we see today. Before living in the luxurious Palace of Versailles, King Louis XIV lived in what is now the Louvre Museum in Paris.  Louis XVII decided that the chateau of Versailles had much more potential than just a hunting lodge, so he took it upon himself to be the architect and build a true masterpiece. From 1661 to his death in 1715, the palace went through several renovations and was constantly filled with people. The reign of Louis XIV was full of grand parties and entertainment at the Palace of Versailles.            

Every room of the palace that my classmates and I visited was just beautiful. From the chapel to the king and queen’s bed chambers, everything was elaborate and stunning. However, seeing the Palace of Versailles and its grounds only made me think of what the French people at the time thought about it. As I did research, I discovered that the construction of Versailles was very controversial amongst the French public. One of the reasons was that the Palace of Versailles was outside of Paris, and when Louis XIV moved there, he also moved his court. To the French public, the elaborate palace and parties with French nobility were seen as a sign of excessive spending. In addition, as the French economy declined in the 1780s, which was a big reason for the French Revolution, the Palace of Versailles symbolized the royal family’s disregard for the French people.  

            Overall, our visit to Versailles was amazing. We got to see one of the most famous and beautiful palaces in the world while also learning a little about who constructed it. My favorite part of the day was probably exploring the gardens. While Versailles is beautiful and I’m so glad I got to visit with my classmates, I think it is also important to understand the historical impact of the places you visit. It was so interesting to learn that Versailles came to be seen as a representation of corruption and ultimately contributed to the French Revolution in 1789.